Two white tailed eagles found dead

gerky

Two rare eagles found dead in Kerry
Tuesday, 19 February 2008 12:40

Two of the White-tailed Eagles reintroduced into Ireland last August have been found dead in west Kerry.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service became anxious yesterday afternoon when the two birds' transmitters remained stationary for too long.

Allan Mee, who is managing the reintroduction of the birds to Ireland, found one of the birds at around 5pm yesterday afternoon at an undisclosed location on the Iveragh Peninsula.


The second bird was found close-by this morning.

It is not yet known how the two birds died. There are concerns that they may have been poisoned, but it could be several weeks before this can be confirmed.

The White-tailed Eagle disappeared from Ireland more than 100 years ago but a scheme to reintroduce the native birds of prey to Ireland began last year.

There was some controversy when the chicks first arrived into Ireland from Norway last June. Despite assurances, around 50 farmers protested at Kerry airport over fears that the birds would prey on their lambs.


Story from RTÉ News:

Really sickening.

fits

Thats sad news.

I suppose its to be expected that some of them dont make it. I just hope they werent poisoned on purpose. Its quite possible that some farmers would be leaving out poison for foxes at this time of year.

dodgyme

In this day an age is there not something we can do that doesnt kill a bird that has been extinct for more then 100 yrs?

The complete ignorance some people show the environment and heritage is unbelievable.

yknaa

Really hope they were not deliberatly posioned. I wonder if as part of the post-mortem and tests it could be established what made up the diet of the birds. This might help prove that they are little threat to farmers.

Alun

More detailed info here ...

http://www.goldeneagle.ie/news_viewnews.php?x=2&z=101&news_id=7&article=136

deman

These are beautiful birds. It's a shame indeed.

Where I live, I'd see one or two flying overhead every now and then. I'd get a creak in the neck just standing there watching them, forgetting myself and being late for work.:o

I hope the reintroduction to Irish coastal areas will give locals the same pleasure I get.

dodgyme

I 'd really like to see someone go down for this, presuming guilt of course

Kess73

dodgyme wrote: »

I 'd really like to see someone go down for this, presuming guilt of course

Would second that. I really don't get what seems to be the prevailing attitude towards wildlife in this country. So many people have not even seen a live badger or fox, and we even have kids nowadays that would have rarely even have seen a cow. Really sad state of affairs, when we have a countryside that would be enriched with animals like these eagles, that only add to the beauty of parts of the country.

myjugsarehuge

It is so sad I agree. We wiped out these beautiful creatures through hunting and persecution but maybe the time isn't right to bring them back just yet, if at all. Please understand, I'm not against the reintroduction, far from it, but perhaps as a society we haven't changed enough in past 100 years to make it safe for these eagles, maybe it will never be the right time to bring them back?

Humans have disrupted the balance massively in recent times and evolution for these eagles has perhaps sadly come full circle due to the increasing population in rural Ireland and the perceived damage they will cause to the local farmers.

Maybe some species but are just not destined to survive in certain places, that is evolution, survival of the fittest/most adaptable. Foxes have survived despite their widespread persecution, they are fast breeding and adaptable, sadly eagles are not.

Evolution has made us humans the "top" predator whether we like it or not and other previously widespread predatory animals have become extinct in Ireland although they do survive in Europe; wolves, bears etc. These eagles' stronghold is in Greenland / Eastern Europe I think http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=R6LOmyTt2Ew and while I would love to see them in Kerry before it is too late, perhaps we should concentrate on sustaining these European populations?

megadodge

but perhaps as a society we haven't changed enough in past 100 years to make it safe for these eagles, maybe it will never be the right time to bring them back?

How come the Golden Eagle reintroduction project in Donegal has been such a success then ?

Dare I say it has something to do with the mindset of the locals ?

myjugsarehuge

well I live near Kerry not in it so I couldn't comment on the local situation with the farmers. Was the compensation scheme that was mentioned in the newspapers ever put in place, that might ease fears ?

dodgyme

myjugsarehuge wrote: »

evolution for these eagles has perhaps sadly come full circle due to the increasing population in rural Ireland

you misguided person. Ospreys and sea eagle were common sightings in ireland when the most rural population was nearly 3 times larger then it is now? Read a few books from the 1830's.

myjugsarehuge

dodgyme wrote: »

you misguided person. Ospreys and sea eagle were common sightings in ireland when the most rural population was nearly 3 times larger then it is now? Read a few books from the 1830's.

Sorry I havent read any books about the 1830s didnt mean to offend or upset you?

I was just trying to offer a theory as to why the birds are being targeted, especially as it has been mentioned that the Golden Eagle reintroduction has been a success and the Red Kite reintroduction in the UK? I have been a keen birdwatcher for 30 years and would love to see the reintroduction succeed.

gerky

I'm just updating this to say it has been confirmed that the two white tailed eagles found dead were poisoned,there was two substances found in their systems.

Roen

Confirmed to be have been poisoned, one can only hope that it was accidental.

Info from RTE's website, I can't link directly, but it's one of the articles on the Morning Ireland site http://www.rte.ie/news/morningireland/

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

megadodge wrote: »

How come the Golden Eagle reintroduction project in Donegal has been such a success then ?

Dare I say it has something to do with the mindset of the locals ?

Look! It's much to early in either program (or the Red Kite reintroduction) to say if any have been a success or a failure. We lost Eagles in Donegal early on too. This incident is probably accidental and while unfortunate is within the parameters set for losses in the program. So lets not panic and lets not become complacent about the earlier Goldie Project.

It wasn't me!

Well, as long as the poisonings weren't malicious and the rest of the eagles take well, this could yet be a roaring success. Such a shame to see the two dead birds though.